Ramazan rush: Over 4 lakh beggars flood Karachi streets; crime spikes

According to AIG Minhas, Karachi has become a prime spot for both beggars and criminals, with an influx of individuals from various regions, including interior Sindh, Balochistan, and other parts of the country.

Beggars have started pouring into Karachi from the smaller towns and villages of the country during the holy month of Ramazan, giving rise to street crimes, Geo News reported. Additional Inspector General (AIG) Karachi, Imran Yaqoob Minhas, shed light on a concerning woe, a staggering 3,00,000 to 4,00,000 professional beggars flock to Karachi, to cash in on the Eid season.

According to AIG Minhas, Karachi has become a prime spot for both beggars and criminals, with an influx of individuals from various regions, including interior Sindh, Balochistan, and other parts of the country. "We cannot trace crimes through conventional steps," he said in a statement, urging authorities to install more cameras to track the criminals in the provincial capital, as reported by Geo News.

The gravity of the situation was underscored by recent statistics, during Ramazan alone, at least 19 citizens fell victim to street crime incidents in Karachi, while the toll of lives lost over resistance to robberies since January 2024 exceeded 55. In response to the escalating law and order challenges, the Sindh High Court (SHC) issued a stern ultimatum, granting provincial authorities one month to restore peace and order in the province. This directive came after SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi presided over a session addressing the precarious law and order situation.

Justice Abbasi also instructed the authorities to take decisive action against influential figures involved in disrupting peace. Furthermore, he demanded a comprehensive report on the state of law and order within 15 days. Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Inspector General Police (IGP) Sindh, Ghulam Nabi Memon, affirmed that street crimes posed a significant challenge to Karachi's peace, alongside the menace of riverine bandits in other parts of the province. Deliberations centred on strategies to enhance police patrolling and fortify the criminal justice system.

IGP Memon assured the SHC of the police department's commitment to upholding justice, pledging to prevent the filing of false cases against citizens, Geo News reported. (ANI)

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